On August 12, 1997, UHCA had an opportunity to meet with Winston Harris
of the California Emergency Foodlink, a dynamic member of our
association:

UHCA:  How many years have you worked for California Emergency Foodlink?
Winston Harris:  California Emergency Fodlink was founded in 1992 by
John Healey.  I’ve worked for Foodlink from the very beginning.

UHCA:   What is your position with the company?
Winston Harris:  I am the transportation manager.  Anything to do with
vehicle repair, maintenance, pick-up and delivery comes through me.  I’m
also the Teamsters Representative, so any grievances to the Union are
filed through me.

UHCA:  How would you describe your company, California Emergency
Foodlink?
Winston Harris:  Foodlink delivers surplus food, clothing, and household
goods to foodbanks all across California, who in turn feed or clothe the
homeless, the unemployed, the elderly, and the victims of natural
disasters.  In addition to feeding the hungry, we run a job training
program that has been touted by members of Congress and the California
State Legislature as a national model among welfare-to-work programs.
In a nutshell, California Emergency Foodlink is a statewide non-profit
organization that addresses the issues of hunger, poverty, and
joblessness

UHCA:   How large is Foodlink?
Winston Harris:  When the Foodlink first opened its doors 5 years ago,
there were only 5 employees and one bobtail truck.  Back then, I worked
as the truck driver, mechanic, loader, packager, repairman,
janitor....you name it.  Things have come a long way in a very short
time.  We now have 300 employees, over 600,000 square feet of warehouse
space, 20,000 square feet of refrigerated storage, 7 vans, 5 tractors, 7
trailers, and 2 bobtails.  I attribute Foodlink’s tremendous growth to
the leadership and initiative of our president, John Healey.

UHCA:  From 5 employees to 300 in 5 years?  What has the turnover rate
been like?
Winston Harris:  Extremely high, and for us that is a good sign.  With
our job training program, we give welfare recipients, the homeless, and
the unemployed job-related experience.  We train people to drive
forklifts, refurbish and operate computers, perform clerical duties,
drive trucks, repair equipment, and work in a warehouse.  We are happy
to see our employees leave for better paying positions with the skills
we’ve taught them, that’s the idea behind our program.

UHCA:  Can you describe Foodlink’s truck driver training program?
Winston Harris:  Our truck driving program is only semi-existing at the
moment.  We are in the process of finding property for the truck-driving
school.  We’ve formed a partnership with the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters to create a “California Training and Employment Center.”
Whereas the average private truck-driving school charges between $3,000
and $5,000 for a 2 month training course, our driver training course at
the center will last approximately 6 to 7 months and costs the
student/employee nothing or next to nothing.  We will train classes of
15 to 30 students.

UHCA:  How does Foodlink stay viable?  The overhead must be
enormous...you’ve got 300 employees, the foodbanks don’t compensate you
for the food you deliver, and the students in your training program
don’t pay tuition.
Winston Harris:  We rely on private donations and federal, state and
employer/corporate funds for the initial set up and purchase of
equipment, along with manpower and training-grant funds for the daily
classes.  After the start-up costs are covered, we sell our services —
food repackaging, warehousing, trucking and light equipment repair — to
business and industry at competitive rates.  The new Training Centers
will also offer some other, but related services to the private sector
for a modest fee, which will underwrite some of the Center’s operating
costs.  For example, we may provide safety programs for small trucking
employers to help get them a break on their insurance, or contract with
public agencies to train and/or recertify their existing employees.

UHCA:  Foodlink is by no means a typical trucking outfit.  Could you
tell us why Foodlink joined the United Highway Carriers Association?
Winston Harris:   We are in the process of expanding a Foodlink site in
Bell, California.  I was returning from a visit to the site and sat next
to a UHCA membership salesman on the plane flight from Bell to
Sacramento.  He described how UHCA works hard to promote and protect the
interests of the smaller sized trucking companies from detrimental laws
and regulations.  He also handed me a couple of HIGHWAY newsletters,
which I found quite informative.  I felt UHCA’s efforts should be
supported by Foodlink.  After all, we are a small trucking company.
Even though we’ve got 300 employees, we don’t have a mega-sized fleet of
trucks.

UHCA:  What do you like about the HIGHWAY newsletter?
Winston Harris:  I’m one of those guys who wants to be kept informed
about issues that affect our business.  As Foodlink’s transportation
manager, I don’t want to say “I don’t know what you’re talking about” if
an employee comes into my office asking about a particular law or
regulation.  I feel that HIGHWAY does a fine job of satisfying my
inquiring mind.

UHCA:  How would you describe your management approach?
Winston Harris:  I positively reinforce my workers.  I also tell them
not to break any laws, but rather to follow the rules and regulations.
I tell my drivers to take their time, and that safety is a priority.  If
it’s late at night and you need to sleep, call me and let me know that
you are too tired to drive and won’t be able to make the delivery on
time.  Stay at a motel and add it to your expense report once you get
home, Foodlink will cover the costs.  Every truck has a phone, and I
encourage all of my drivers to stay in contact.

UHCA:  You sound like a good person to work for.
Winston Harris:  I try to be fair because I used to be a truck driver.
I know how truck drivers can sometimes be treated.  As a truck driver,
you take pride in your work and try to be professional.  You also learn
to recognize when you are not in a condition to drive.  The last thing
you need is a manager that disregards your judgment, and gives higher
priority to the delivery than to safety and compliance.  Foodlink will
not tolerate this management approach, we want our drivers to feel
appreciated and trusted.
UHCA:  For how many years did you drive trucks?
Winston Harris:  I began driving a truck in 1963 as a Quartermaster for
the U.S. Army.  After retiring from the military in 1968, I drove trucks
for various supply companies.

UHCA:  How many years have you lived in California?
Winston Harris:  I came to California from Chicago with the military in
1963, and have been here ever since.

UHCA:  Is your wife or family involved with the work of Foodlink?
Winston Harris: My wife has her hands plenty full back at the house.  We
have 19 children, and a good number of them are boys.  You know how boys
can be, always wrestling around and stirring up trouble.

UHCA:  Nineteen children?!?  What is the range in age?
Winston Harris:  The oldest is 31, and the youngest is 5.  We’ve got 11
children living at home with us right now, along with 6 foster
children.

UHCA:  Between the responsibilities of your job and those of being a
parent, it is unlikely that you would have any time left over for
extracurricular activities.
Winston Harris:  I’ll admit, I have a busy schedule.  And Foodlink has
never been a 9 to 5 job.  Although I am only expected to work from 7:00
to 3:30, it is not uncommon to arrive at work at 6:00 in the morning and
stay until 10:00 or 11:00 in the evening.  But I have been able to make
time for activities outside of work and home....I am a minister at the
Moments of Blessing Pentecostal Church in Sacramento.
UHCA:  It has been a pleasure talking to you, Winston, and we are proud
to have California Emergency Foodlink as a member of the United Highway
Carriers Association.

Vol. 34. No. 3

Jan 21, 1998